Chrysanthemum plant named `Sandy Davis`

ABSTRACT

A Chrysanthemum plant named Sandy Davis particularly characterized by its flat capitulum flat capitulum form; daisy capitulum type; yellow-orange ray floret color; diameter across face of capitulum of 64 to 70 mm when fully opened, when grown as a pinched spray pot mum; photoperiodic flowering response of 58 to 63 days after start of short days; plant height, with 14 long days after sticking unrooted cuttings and with 1 to 2 applications of 2500 ppm B-9 SP ranges from 20 to 25 cm when grown as a pinched pot mum with 4 cuttings in a 15 cm pot; spreading branching pattern, each plant having 4 to 6 laterals after pinch; and recommended as a spray pot mum.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum, botanically known as Dendranthema grandiflora, andreferred to by the cultivar name Sandy Davis.

Sandy Davis, identified as 4498 (84-382H03), is a product of a mutationinduction program. The new cultivar was discovered and selected byinventor Susan M. Polys on Aug. 29, 1991 in a controlled environment inSalinas, Calif. as one flowering plant within a flowering blockestablished as rooted cuttings from stock plants which had been exposedas unrooted cuttings to an X-ray source of 1750 rads in Fort Myers, Fla.Mar. 20, 1991. The irradiated parent cultivar was the cultivar OrangeDavis, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,295 and described as a flatdaisy spray pot mum with orange-bronze flower color.

The irradiation program resulting in Sandy Davis had as its primaryobjective the expansion of color ranges of the cultivar Davis, disclosedin U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,325, and the parent cultivar Orange Davis. Theirradiation program comprised irradiation of cuttings of the parentcultivar at irradiation levels of 1500, 1750 and 2000 rads. A total of1529 cuttings harvested from a total of 225 irradiated plants wereplanted on Jul. 8, 1991. Of these, 9 initial selections were made, whichselections were then revegetated and reflowered. Three consecutiveflowerings resulted in discarding all of the original 9 selections onMay 1, 1992. Two codes were reselected prior to discarding the originalcode, and were maintained as PIs (Possible Introductions) and furthertrialed in Salinas, Calif. and Leamington Ontario, Canada, ultimatelyresulting in discarding one code on Oct. 11, 1994 and the decision tointroduce the one remaining selection as Sandy Davis.

The first act of asexual reproduction of Sandy Davis was accomplishedwhen vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection inNovember of 1991 in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif. bytechnicians working under supervision of Susan M. Polys.

Horticultural examination of controlled flowerings of successiveplantings has shown that the unique combination of characteristics asherein disclosed for Sandy Davis are firmly fixed and are retainedthrough successive generations of asexual reproduction.

Sandy Davis has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity and daylength, without,however, any variance in genotype.

The following observations, measurements and comparisons describe plantsgrown in Salinas, Calif., and in Leamington, Ontario, Canada, undergreenhouse conditions which approximate those generally used incommercial greenhouse practice.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of Sandy Davis, which, in combination,distinguish this Chrysanthemum as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Flat capitulum form.

2. Daisy capitulum type.

3. Yellow-orange ray floret color.

4. Diameter across face of capitulum of 64 to 70 mm when fully opened,when grown as a pinched spray pot mum.

5. Photoperiodic flowering response of 58 to 63 days after start ofshort days.

6. Plant height, with 14 long days after sticking unrooted cuttings andwith 1 to 2 applications of 2500 ppm B-9 SP ranges from 20 to 25 cm whengrown as a pinched pot mum with 4 cuttings in a 15 cm pot.

7. Branching pattern is spreading, each plant having 4 to 6 lateralsafter pinch.

8. Recommended as a spray pot mum.

The accompanying photographic drawing is a side view of Sandy Davis,grown as a spray pot mum with 4 cuttings in a 15 cm pot, with the colorsbeing as nearly true as possible with illustrations of this type.

Of the commercial cultivars known to the inventor, the most similar incomparison to Sandy Davis is the parent cultivar Orange Davis. Alltraits of Sandy Davis are similar to those of Orange Davis, except forthe ray floret color and the flowering response to short days. The rayfloret color of Sandy Davis (RHS 22A to 24B) is significantly lighterthan the ray floret color of Orange Davis (RHS 34B, tinged with 178C to179A). The flowering response to short days of Sandy Davis is 1 to 2days slower than the flowering response of Orange Davis.

In the following description color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart. The color values were determined onplant material grown as a pinched pot mum with 4 cuttings in a 15 cm potin Salinas, Calif. on May 22, 1995.

Classification

Botanical.--Dendranthema grandiflora cv Sandy Davis.

Commercial.--Flat daisy spray pot mum.

INFLORESCENCE

A. Capitulum:

Form.--Flat

Type.--Daisy.

Diameter across face.--64 to 70 mm when fully opened.

B. Corolla of ray florets:

Color (general tonality from a distance of threemeters).--Yellow-orange.

Color (upper surface).--22A to 24B.

Color (under surface).--22A to 24B.

Shape.--Straight, oblong, slightly ribbed.

C. Corolla of disc florets:

Color (mature).--9A.

Color (immature).--144B.

D. Reproductive organs:

Androecium.--Present on disc florets only; no pollen.

Gynoecium.--Present on both ray and disc florets.

PLANT

A. General appearance:

Height.--20 to 25 cm when grown as a pinched pot mum with 14 long daysafter sticking unrooted cuttings prior to start of short days and with 1to 2 applications of 2500 ppm B-9 SP.

Branching pattern.--Spreading, with 4 to 6 laterals after pinch.

B. Foliage:

Color (upper surface).--147A.

Color (under surface).--147B.

Shape.--Deeply lobed and serrated.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant namedSandy Davis, as described and illustrated.